LETTER: Northern Pulp should use closed loop system

The News

Published: Nov 17, 2017 at 5:36 p.m.

The Northumberland Fishermen’s Association, with full support of all their members, is demanding that the Provincial Minister of the Environment, Iain Rankin, immediately and only approve a wastewater treatment facility for Northern Pulp with a closed loop system, which would be totally contained on land.

Under no circumstance will the Northumberland Fishermen’s Association accept an open-ended pipe releasing 90,000,000 litres of effluent into prime fishing grounds and spawning habitat of the Northumberland Strait.

The technology and expertise exist. Only with leadership from the Minister of the Environment, can the community do the ‘right’ thing. In 2017, it is time to take responsibility and be proactive with the pollution being created by Northern Pulp.

The fishermen are not supporting the closure of the company, or trying to oppose one industry against another. However, the pollution created by the pulp and paper industry should not be a fisheries problem.

Members are involving the Federal Minister of the Environment, Honorable Catherine McKenna, whose jurisdiction includes all Canadian waters, as well as the Federal Minister of Fisheries, Honorable Dominic LeBlanc. Minister Leblanc has already closed some fisheries, shortened fishing season, and regulated speed reductions for ships to protect the Right Whale, and implemented Marine Protection Areas for the enhancement of fish habitat and spawning grounds.

The Association questions the Department of Fisheries commitment if a pipe is permitted to release effluent on some of the most lucrative habitat and spawning grounds for lobster, crab, scallop, herring, mackerel and ground fish in the entire Gulf of St. Lawrence.